May 23, 2009 - Boxscore
Dons Lose First Game of State Finals to Diablo Valley

FRESNO, CA - The Santa Ana College baseball team lost its opening game of the 2009 California Community College Baseball State Finals 3-2 to #1 Diablo Valley College (DVC).

The Dons (37-12) will face the loser of today's other game between #1 Orange Coast College and #2 San Joaquin Delta College in the loser's bracket tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Diablo Valley (36-15) moves on in the winner's bracket and will face the winner of the other game.

The Vikings jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of first inning when Ben Englehart reached on an infield single and advanced to second when Tyson Edwards was hit by a pitch.

Both Englehart and Edwards advanced on Corey Conflenti's bunt single and Englehart scored the first run of the game on David Buscovich's RBI-ground out to second base.

DVC scored again in the third inning when Conflenti hit a one-out triple off the left-centerfield wall and later scored on a RBI-double by Travis Kruger giving the Vikings a 2-0 cushion.

The Dons rallied back in the seventh inning sparked by a lead-off home run by Jake Eccles to cut the lead to 2-1. TJ Yasuhara extended the inning with a two-out single down the right-field line and advanced to second on a failed pick-off attempt.Cory Goodchild, who came in to pinch-hit for Stephen Gonzalez, tied the game at 2-2 with a double to left-centerfield scoring Yasuhara.

With the game tied at 2-2, the Vikings loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth on a walk and two hit batters. With two outs, Conflenti came through with his third hit of the game, a single to right field scoring Deren Rehr-Davis from third giving the Vikings the 3-2 win.

Brian Peacock suffered his first loss of the postseason after pitching 8 1/3 innings allowing three runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts. Christian Meza, who came in for Peacock in the ninth, allowed the game-winning single after facing four batters.

The Dons return to action Sunday morning needing a win to extend their season.

NEXT: Santa Ana vs TBA, Sunday, May 24 at 10:00 a.m. at Fresno City